Radiation
by Miomi
Summary: Ursula's mother is sick, and one Dr. Faust is hired to cure her. Can he? A new take on how Eliza dies and Faust gets…the way he is.
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own Faust and Eliza, but Ursula and peeps are named after my scary German family! You no can have.

This story takes place before the Shaman King series by about eight years, in Germany, when Faust VIII is 25. Eliza, his wife, is still alive, and the two are living with the Mullers. The 'u' in the name should have an umlaut, but I don't know how to do that…It is pronounced 'MYU-ler'.

Summary: Ursula's mother is sick, and one Dr. Faust is hired to save her. Can he? A new take on how Eliza dies and Faust gets…the way he is.

Ursula's POV

"Welcome to our home, Dr. Faust, Mrs. Eliza, will you please come this way?" I heard my father say in the downstairs foyer of our old German mansion. The doctor was here, at last. I tightened my grip on my mother's feverish hand.

"I do hope the patient is well enough to speak," a man, Dr. Faust, said earnestly.

With a little sadness that he usually concealed, for my sake, Father replied, "Yes, yes, dear Friehilde has been able to tell us all about horrendous headaches and sharp waves of nausea…Well, not in so many words. She will not say a thing of her illness, but her expressions are enough to know."

The three adults strode into the room, with my father, Sieger Muller, leading the way. The forty-year-old man was about medium height, and muscular. His face, once so red with joviality, was today pale and defeated. His short-cut blonde hair was hanging loose and limp.

After him came a tall man, with a doctor's coat on over a clean white shirt. He had black pants, with odd blue patches over the knees. His hair was spiked in all directions, and he had blue, brilliant eyes. I physically had to turn my head to the next arrival to stop looking at them.

A woman came in, with knee length blonde hair and a pink nurse's uniform on. She was beautiful, far more beautiful than me. She had grey eyes, like frost on a cold morning. She looked at me briefly, and turned her attention to the stricken figure on the bed.

There was an uncomfortable silence, wherein I slowly rose from my kneeling position next to Mother and sat back in my chair. I tucked the edges of my long, red skirt under my legs and brushed a long brown braid from my shoulder. Father coughed to break the quiet.

"Ursula, Reizend (lovely), this is Dr. Faust VIII, and his wife, Eliza," he made a wide gesture behind him, and turned, "Doctor, this is my daughter, Ursula. On the bed next to the window is my wife, Friehilde."

The towering Faust crossed the room quickly, and felt her pulse. He glanced at his assistant-somehow I would never call her his wife-and she swiftly guided us out into the hallway. I silently glanced about me and set off to my room to sleep away the rest of the day.

I hadn't been getting much sleep while my poor mother was stuck in bed, too weak to move. She needed so much, and would not say, until I had taken to staying by her bedside as long as I could.

I wearily undid my long twin braids, and undressed. By the time I pulled up my blanket, I was asleep.

Faust's POV

"Dear?" A voice called, rousing me from my deep slumber.

"Ich erledigte meine Arbeit, Lehrer! (I did my homework, teacher!)" I cried, jerking awake.

Eliza smiled over at me from across the car, and said, "You know how much I enjoy seeing how cute you look when you're sleeping, but we've hit the driveway."

I sat up and looked around. We were in a sent car, with a sly-looking butler driving us through the countryside. Behind us, I could just see a wrought iron gate disappear behind a bend. The patient and her family had to be very rich to afford this.

As we arrived and stepped out of the automobile, a man a bit shorter than I walked up quickly and shook my hand. He was obviously stressed, and looked unhealthy, but I could see no need for any medication but a good sleep.

"Thank you, thank you for coming, I am Sieger Muller, please call me Sieger. You are Dr. Faust VIII and the beautiful lady is your wife?"

As we walked inside, he said, "Welcome to our home, Dr. Faust, Mrs. Eliza, will you please come this way?" We followed without a word up the stairs.

In the second-story hallway, I said, "I do hope the patient is well enough to speak."

Sieger told us over his shoulder, "Yes, yes, dear Friehilde has been able to tell us all about horrendous headaches and sharp waves of nausea…Well, not in so many words. She will not say a thing of her illness, but her expressions are enough to know."

He turned sharply into a room, and I entered behind him. A girl, probably seventeen to eighteen, turned to look at us from the side of a bed. There was a face over the blanket, flushed red with a fever. This woman was wrinkled, with brown hair tinged with grey. Her skin was spotted, also, with red welts…

I walked over and felt her heartbeat. Yes, it was strained. If my prognosis was correct, this could be bad…I looked over to my lovely Eliza and nodded for her to get the family members out of the room.

When they were gone, and their footsteps had died down, I spoke to my wife quietly so as to leave the poor woman undisturbed.

"Red welts, and her heartbeat's strained. From what the man told me over the phone, she has nausea and headaches. I suspect she has pericarditis, and that would mean…"

She nodded, saying,"Yes, I know. Where could she have gotten it?"

"I don't know," said I, "but at least it isn't contagious…How will we tell the girl?"

"She looks so sad as it is."

"We'll figure it out, I suppose…."

To Be Continued! Stay tuned for the diagnosis! (No, pericarditis isn't all, and it's not made up)

Yay! Isn't that fun? I don't know, there weren't enough Faustfics…and, if you only read this because it was under the subject 'Romance,' don't worry, there will be a pseudo-triangle eventually…

I think I'll do this every chapter…you know, the chapter from Ursula's point of view, and then from Faust's. I enjoyed how…analytical Faust's mind was.


	2. Diagnosis

To all the reviewers who liked the first chapter, thank you for your kind words!

A review: This story takes place in Germany, around 1993 or so. Dr. Faust and his wife, Eliza, have been hired to care for a rich man's ill wife. We don't yet know what ails her…well, I mean…I do, but you people don't.

Faust's clothing is different only because he's not a psycho-death-rage-necromancer yet…he is wearing a clean white shirt under the doctor's coat.

The family is German, but still I don't know how to type and umlaut, so the name 'Muller' is pronounced 'MYU-ler'

Ursula's POV

Dr. Faust had called us together. He said that he knew what Mother was sick with, but he needed to ask us a few questions first.

"Mr.-excuse me, Sieger- and Ms. Ursula, Mrs. Friehilde has red welts, a fever, headaches, nausea, and a strained heartbeat which alludes to pericarditis. Am I correct?" He asked. It almost seemed like he didn't want to hear the answer.

Father nodded slowly. If the doctor himself didn't want to know, I surely didn't. My fists clenched on the arms of my chair.

"These symptoms are tell-tale signs of radiation poisoning." Eliza said.

I stared at her, uncomprehending. Father, though, had turned white as a sheet.

"We need to know if Mrs. Friehilde has ever worked in a factory requiring precision welding or if she ever worked with clocks in her younger days"

Clocks? Why would Mother ever work with clocks? I still had no idea what was going on. Father, apparently, did.

"Wh-when she was twenty…before she met me…she worked in her father's clock making business. That was where I met her. Mein armer, lieber Friehilde (my poor, dear Friehilde)…she usually painted the backs of clock faces, to make them glow in the dark." Father whispered.

Faust and Eliza looked at each other, before the man said, "The intake would be small enough to not affect her until now."

"Yes, but how could she have a child? The reproductive system is damaged."

"Perhaps the system only became damaged after Ms. Ursula was born. Or," he turned to smile at me, "is she really a miracle, sent to keep her dear mother happy while she is ill?

His eyes! Oh, they were beautiful! Somehow, his smile made me want to be responsible for every smile he ever wore. I felt much, much better.

"What is radiation poisoning, bitte (please)?" I heard myself say. What? I hadn't known I could speak!

The doctor's smile became tinged with sadness. He said, "It is a disease that can manifest itself hours, weeks, months, or even years-like you mother-after ingestion of a radioactive material. Your mother was a clock painter and, eighteen years ago, the glow-in-the-dark paint she worked with was the element radium. Radium does glow, yes, but only because of its radioactivity. For working in her father's show, your mother is dying."

Dying? No! She couldn't die! I tried to stand up, but everything went black as I fell into strong, comforting arms.

Faust's POV

I stood at the center of the room, and waited until the others were paying attention.

"Mr.-" I began, then remembered the man's request that I call him by his name, "excuse me, Sieger- and Ms. Ursula, Mrs. Friehilde has red welts, a fever, headaches, nausea, and a strained heartbeat which alludes to pericarditis. Am I correct?" I asked. No, no, I knew already, why did I have to put them through this?

Sieger nodded slowly. Ms. Ursula looked scared, her hands gripping the couch. Poor thing, to lose her mother so young…

"These symptoms are tell-tale signs of radiation poisoning." My Eliza said.

Ms. Ursula did not know of the disease, but Sieger, though, had turned very pale.

"We need to know if Mrs. Friehilde has ever worked in a factory requiring precision welding or if she ever worked with clocks in her younger days" I said in a low tone.

Ms. Ursula was more confused by the minute. Her father began whispering.

"Wh-when she was twenty…before she met me…she worked in her father's clock making business. That was where I met her. Mein armer, lieber Friehilde (my poor, dear Friehilde)…she usually painted the backs of clock faces, to make them glow in the dark."

Working with the element to paint clock faces. That would give her a small enough dosage to leave the effects dormant until then, something was odd.

Eliza and I shared a look, and I said, "The intake would be small enough to not affect her until now."

"Yes, but how could she have a child? The reproductive system is damaged."

"Perhaps the system only became damaged after Ms. Ursula was born. Or," I turned to give Ms. Ursula a smile, hoping to calm her down, "is she really a miracle, sent to keep her dear mother happy while she is ill?

I could see her start to brighten, and she sat up straighter, be fore she asked me, "What is radiation poisoning, bitte (please)?"

If only I wasn't the one to explain to her. Such a sweet girl, and I had to tell her. All I could say was, "It is a disease that can manifest itself hours, weeks, months, or even years-like you mother-after ingestion of a radioactive material. Your mother was a clock painter and, eighteen years ago, the glow-in-the-dark paint she worked with was the element radium. Radium does glow, yes, but only because of its radioactivity. For working in her father's show, your mother is dying."

I almost though she would scream, but as she began to go limp and slump forward, I caught her and carried her quietly to her room.

To Be Continued!

I am enjoying this waaay too much. Faust is so fun! Well, that's all for now, now please go and review!


	3. No Cure

Miomi: Yay! I have another reviewer! People like me, the really like me!

Faust: Erhalten Sie einfach an mit der Geschichte!

Ursula: Yeah…I think?

Miomi: Faust, you're mean!

Eliza: But he's so cute!

All the girls: Yeah!

You can look at the pronunciation with the other chapters; I am too lazy today…

Disclaimer: If I owned Faust, I wouldn't need to make up stories about him, now would I?

* * *

Ursula's POV

"…will be fine. Go and get ready for dinner. You need rest and sleep, all this excitement isn't good for you." I awoke slowly, unable to move. Where was I? Who was talking?

Footsteps and the creak of a door closing were heard. I knew a light was on in the room, and I thought I could feel eyes on me. I didn't move for several seconds, but I couldn't tell if there was anyone in the room with me.

"You're awake, then," came the voice of Dr. Faust. It startled me into opening my eyes.

"I don't…know…what happened…" I said. Suddenly, it all came back to me. Radiation, smiles, Mother's dying.

"It will be alright, Ms. Ursula, don't cry," Dr. Faust had crossed the room and was standing over me, looking worried.

I realized that tears had begun leaking out of my eyes, and tried to sit up. I made it halfway before the doctor had to support my back. Deftly, he arranged my pillows until I was comfortable.

I buried my face in my hands, and began sobbing. A gentle hand patted my head. Then, a thought struck me.

"She…she can't die. I love her. Can't you save her? You're a doctor! It's your job to save her! You have to…please…" I turned to look at him.

"At this point in our technology, radiation poisoning cannot be reversed," he said quietly. I cried harder than before.

"But, I can try!" The poor man seemed unable to deal with crying women. He tried to explain himself, saying, "I mean, I'll try to develop a cure, to save your mother before she dies."

I laughed, shakily. Something about this man calmed me. Eliza was a lucky one.

Smiling now, I yelled, "You will? Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Without thinking, I reached out and hugged him.

"Ms. Ursula…" Dr. Faust's face was red when I came to my senses and let go.

"Um, sorry! I was so happy, you know, about Mother maybe living, that it sort of spilled over, and," I could feel my face turning crimson, "You don't have to call me 'Ms.' or anything. I mean, you can just call me Ursula, but my father calls me Reizend (lovely)…oh, you shouldn't call me that, sorry, that was rude, Dr. Faust!"

He stared at me awhile, confused, and then smiled. "Well then, Ursula, you do not need to say the 'Dr.' for me. Faust will do."

"Hmm, then will Mrs. Eliza be just Eliza?" Oh! He smiled again! He must have been the one who caught me when I fainted, such strong arms…

"You will need to talk to her about such things, I think. You are becoming pale. I believe your _charming_ butler has prepared a dinner for us. Shall we go?"

* * *

Faust's POV

I had laid Ms. Ursula on her bed, and she had been asleep for an hour, when Eliza could no longer keep Sieger way from his daughter.

"Let me see her! Reizend, Reizend! Isn't she all right? I'm going to lose my wife, I can't lose my daughter, too!" He yelled loudly in the hall.

"Sieger, Ms. Ursula is asleep. She has been over exhausted, after taking care of her mother. After she has had some sleep, she will be fine. Go and get ready for dinner. You need rest and sleep, all this excitement isn't good for you." I tried to calm him down. He stalked off, and I closed the door.

I turned to look at my charge. She was beautiful in a classic way, but, then again, an opinion of beauty can change easily through fashions. Her breathing was becoming irregular, and I could see her eyes moving beneath her closed lids.

"You're awake, then," I said. She jumped a little, and her eyes opened quickly. She was startled by the sudden noise.

"I don't…know…what happened…" she whispered. Her face contorted and tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes. I crossed the room to her.

"It will be alright, Ms. Ursula, don't cry," I tried to soothe her.

She began to sit up. I helped her after she had gotten halfway, holding her back. Quickly, I piled pillows so she would be comfortable.

She began sobbing. She looked so forlorn…I stroked her head until she turned to me.

"She…she can't die. I love her. Can't you save her? You're a doctor! It's your job to save her! You have to…please…" I couldn't tell her that I couldn't, because that would really break her heart. I had to say it, though.

"At this point in our technology, radiation poisoning cannot be reversed," I said quietly. The tears redoubled.

"But, I can try!" I couldn't stand girls crying around me, and didn't know how to handle them. Ms. Ursula looked confused, and I explained, saying, "I mean, I'll try to develop a cure, to save your mother before she dies."

She seemed to cheer up. Quickly, she began beaming as she thought about it.

She yelled, "You will? Thank you! Thank you so much!" She stretched towards me and hugged me as she fell from the bed.

"Ms. Ursula…" I could feel my cheeks flush as I pushed her back onto the pillows.

"Um, sorry! I was so happy, you know, about Mother maybe living, that it sort of spilled over, and," her cheeks began turning an interesting magenta, "You don't have to call me 'Ms.' or anything. I mean, you can just call me Ursula, but my father calls me Reizend (lovely)…oh, you shouldn't call me that, sorry, that was rude, Dr. Faust!"

I was sure I misunderstood, then worked out what she meant and smiled, "Well then, Ursula, you do not need to say the 'Dr.' for me. Faust will do."

"Hmm, then will Mrs. Eliza be just Eliza?" Eliza had hardly let me call her by her first name alone before we were engaged. I wondered what she would say to this young girl about it.

"You will need to talk to her about such things, I think. You are becoming pale. I believe your _charming_ butler has prepared a dinner for us. Shall we go?"

* * *

To be continued…again…I have the entire plot written down, but it's so long when I actually write it out and explain what's happening…

Most of what happens, I got from the series…like, when he said he had lost a battle with death? That's kind of foreshadowing…and, there's a hole in Eliza's skull when he's trotting her around town? Yeah…I began wondering about how she could have died, and the battle with death (I figured even Faust would not hope to save a chick with a hole in her brain)…

In other words, I do intend to have this turn into an angsty, pseudo-love triangle, and Eliza will die. If you like happy endings, run far, far away. But still review! Please?


	4. Dinner

Ahaha this story is so fun! Everyone liked Faust blushing…I was laughing out loud as I typed it. Faust is great!

Reizend is lovely, lieb is love

If you speak or read German, and I spell something wrong, feel free to beat me with sticks and then tell me the right way…

Disclaimer: I can only tell stories of them…never own them…well, I think I bought Eliza's toe on eBay once…(oops)

* * *

Ursula's POV

Faust and I arrived at the same time down at the dinner table. He had told me of Father's outburst while I was sleeping, and how worried he had been.

When I came into the dining room, he jumped up and ran to me. "Reizend! Oh, my Reizend, are you all right?"

"Yes, Father, Faust made sure I rested before he let me get out of bed. I feel much better now." I reassured him.

Faust himself had walked across the room to Eliza and there was a murmured conversation, before they came over to us together and suggested we eat.

The dining room table wasn't so very big, in itself. It had room for twelve dinner places, enough for my extended family when they came to visit. Faust sat in the middle of one side, Eliza sat next to him, across from her was Father and I sat to his left, facing Faust.

Helmut, our butler, came from the kitchen and served us a rich beef stew, with grain bread to dip. We all started eating, and soon all the bowls were empty.

After Helmut cleared the dishes, Faust sat deep in thought. Eventually, he said, "If I am to try to cure Mrs. Friehilde, I will need to see her on a daily basis. The drive from the city was far too long to be a normal commute. This could be difficult…"

Seeing my father look so hopeful was good. I knew what Faust was trying to get him suggest, and played along.

"If only you lived closer, Mother would have a much improved chance of surviving," I said as nonchalantly as I could. Faust looked at me, and winked.

Father had apparently gotten the idea. He laughed as though he had solved world hunger, and said, "Well, we have some extra bedrooms in this house. Why not stay here, close to your patient?"

"Yes, I believe that is the best solution. Allow me to return to the city tomorrow to collect the necessary equipment and medicines, please," Faust said easily.

Eliza cut in, saying, "Dear, why don't I go? I know what you need, and you should stay here and monitor the illness for abnormalities."

"Yes, why don't you and Helmut leave around eight tomorrow morning. You'll arrive near eleven, collect your things, eat lunch and be back by four in the afternoon," Father planned out.

Faust nodded, with "I'll watch over her and learn my way around."

"Father, you're to go to work tomorrow, right? I'll show the doctor around and take care of the house," I said quickly. Father owned a large part of land in Musel Valley, and he employed many people there to grow grapes in a vineyard. My family had made wine from grapes they grew themselves for generations, and were now rich because if that.

"It's settled, then. I think we should retire to our rooms at present, for it has been a trying day for all," Faust said calmly.

"I'll show you the way to the guest bedrooms!" I quickly stood and walked out of the room.

* * *

Faust's POV

Ursula and I went down to dinner together. I told her about her father shouting while she was asleep, and how beside himself he had been.

When I came into the dining room, I walked over to Eliza.

"We have to try to cure the mother, but we live to far away," she whispered.

I shook my head, "We could get Sieger to invite us to stay here for a while. I want to spend some time with Ursula-she is very interesting."

"And I'm not?" Oh, dear, she looked mad…

"You are very interesting, lieb, you are! It's just, I've never observed someone lose a family member in close quarters!" She looked less likely to kill me now, at least.

"Tsk. Why did I have to fall in love with you?" she put on a pout.

"Hmm, I suppose you were just bored, even though I don't regret loving you," I said happily.

"You're no fun, you know that?" my Eliza mumbled.

We walked over to the others together and declared that we should eat.

I went to a huge table, and sat in the middle of one side. Ursula was across from me, with Eliza on my left.

The shifty-eyed butler came forth and served us a wonderful beef stew, with grain bread. Everyone ate their dinner quietly.

After the dishes were cleared, I said, as though I had thought it over for a while, "If I am to try to cure Mrs. Friehilde, I will need to see her on a daily basis. The drive from the city was far too long to be a normal commute. This could be difficult…"

Ursula got the idea, and said slowly, "If only you lived closer, Mother would have a much improved chance of surviving," I winked at her, for helping.

Sieger laughed as though he had solved world hunger, and said, "Well, we have some extra bedrooms in this house. Why not stay here, close to your patient?"

"Yes, I believe that is the best solution. Allow me to return to the city tomorrow to collect the necessary equipment and medicines, please," I said quickly.

My Eliza cut in, saying, "Dear, why don't I go? I know what you need, and you should stay here and monitor the illness for abnormalities."

"Yes, why don't you and Helmut leave around eight tomorrow morning. You'll arrive near eleven, collect your things, eat lunch and be back by four in the afternoon," Sieger planned out.

I nodded my approval, with "I'll watch over her and learn my way around."

"Father, you're to go to work tomorrow, right? I'll show the doctor around and take care of the house," Ursula said earnestly.

"It's settled, then. I think we should retire to our rooms at present, for it has been a trying day for all," I said in a level tone, avoiding Eliza's glare.

"I'll show you the way to the guest bedrooms!" She stood and walked from the room.

"This should be enough observation, even for you," Eliza whispered in my ear as we left. She started giggling, and I chuckled lightly.

What was I getting myself into?

* * *

TBC…this is taking a while…

Anyway, I am writing this in school, and then I bring the paper home and type it up. That's why it's going so fast. I mean, it's not like I learn or something while I'm there…

Yay! Chapter Four! I liked the little exchange between Faust and his wife…Review please!


	5. Cherry Blossoms

I am soooooo sorry I took this long to update…I had a camping trip…but hey, it was fun, so now I'm ready to write! Yeah! And, what ho-a day of only Ursula and Faust! Woo!

Ooooo, you will love this chapter! I know I did!

Liebchen is sweetheart (like calling some one 'love')

* * *

Ursula's POV

I woke to the sound of doors slamming and an engine revving to life. Father, Eliza and Helmut were leaving…I jerked awake, afraid of what time it was-I had overslept-and then calmed myself down and got dressed quickly. As I went down to the dining room, a wonderful scent overcame me.

Waffles?

I pushed open the door to the kitchen, and who should I see but Faust. Of course it was Faust. Who else was in the house today? I just wasn't ready to see a tall, thin, grown man in my mother's pink apron. Cooking blueberry waffles, my favorite.

Looking up, he said with a smile, "Good morning, Ursula! The lovely butler seems to have forgotten to feed us, so I came down while you were sleeping and got this together!"

I slammed the door shut and sank into a chair. Faust…could cook? My favorite breakfast? _In a pink apron_?

My heartbeat was slowing as he came into the room with two plates. At least he was apronless now.

I staggered to my feet and sat down across from him while he set out silverware and syrup. He waited for me to start eating before beginning on his own breakfast. Once I was done, I stared at him suspiciously.

"Hmm?" he looked as innocent as a child.

"Where…how…Why were you in a pink apron?" I got out.

Confused, he said, "I didn't want to stain my shirt…Cooking can become a very dirty business you know."

"But…but…_You_ and _pink_ don't go together! You are, like, the _anti-pink_! Did you even know that this was my favorite?" I was losing it.

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean, I think."

"Whatever! Um, you want to learn your way around the house, right?" I was desperate to get the image out of my head, "Where do you want to go?"

He considered the question. It was a bit odd. No one actually considers anything at all, but you could tell he was thinking about it.

"I should like to look around the first, second, and third floors first"-the house had five stories, mainly for storage-"Then we can have luncheon. Afterwards, I shall check on your mother, and we shall explore the remaining floors. Is this agreeable?"

I nodded, hatching a plan.

So, around and about the house we went. Father's study and the common room were the only rooms downstairs he hadn't seen, so after that I showed him all the doors off the second floor hallway. He quickly memorized the bathrooms, bedrooms, guest rooms and even the empty rooms. He told me he would probably use one as a laboratory.

On the third floor, all the rooms were full of family history. One's wallpaper was completely made up of the wine labels from our vineyards. I explained everything I knew about, and guessed whatever else he asked.

It was time for lunch. I told him to wait in the foyer, and that I had a surprise for him. Going into the kitchen, I took some meat and made two sandwiches, tossed together a salad, and found an old tablecloth, putting them into a basket I had found.

I told Faust when I came out to put shoes on. When he was done, I lead him back through the common room and lifted the blinds from the windows. He blinked a moment, and then took a step closer.

Our garden behind the house is very well-kept. Helmut refused to do it, of course, saying that he wasn't any sort of gardener. So, I was the one outside almost every day, weeding and pruning and watering, until I had all kinds of annuals blooming. It was the height of spring then, and all the prettiest flowers were showing.

I grabbed Faust's wrist lightly and took him outside. Leading him past tulips and daffodils, I came to my favorite place at that time of year.

My lovely little orchard. I had begged and begged Father to buy me four cherry saplings, when I was eight. They were two years old then, and when I was eleven, they began blooming and I could eat my own cherries in the summertime. Now, though, was perfect, because the blossoms were just beginning to fall, and the petals were streaming everywhere. I spread the old tablecloth and invited him to sit with me.

"Ursula, I…this is…how did you…?" he stuttered.

I laughed, "I love plants. You can nurture them, and then they will repay you." I spread my arms wide.

"Almost like me," he said quietly, "I care for the sick, help them recover, or comfort the ones too far gone for my services to reach them."

I saw a look of sadness in his eyes (yes, alright, I had been staring at them again). I spoke slowly and painfully, "Like…like my mother?"

He looked at me, and smiled, "No, Liebchen, not like her. I can still hope to save her. The ones I am thinking of are those with leprosy, or a congenital disease, like sickle cell anemia…incurable…"

I put down my food, stood up, and walked in front of him. He looked up at me kind of blurry, as though he could not get me into focus.

Kneeling, I said, "You have saved many more, Faust. People who would not be walking today if it weren't for your skills. You can't save everyone, you know."

I leaned forward and, deliberately this time, hugged him tightly. He gently squeezed me back, and mumbled something close to "Thank you." I let him go, and sat back down next to him. He smiled warmly at me, and reached for his lunch.

* * *

Faust's POV

"Goodbye, my dear, see you this afternoon!" I said, waving from the bed of our room. My wife rolled her eyes and went downstairs.

I rolled out of bed and dressed, quickly and easily, thinking of what I would do today. Exploring the house with Ursula seemed an easy enough task. I straightened my coat and walked downstairs.

The other adults were outside, getting ready to leave. I looked into the dining room-that at least I could find-and found no food. I noticed a piece of paper on the table, though, and blinked.

_She likes blueberry waffles. Try 'observing' her more discreetly, please?_

_-Sieger_

Oh, dear. My lovely Eliza had blabbed. To Ursula's father, no less. Well, if he was fine with my studies, I suppose I was bound to make breakfast.

I looked in the kitchen, and found only an apron with little pink ruffles to protect my clothing. It would have to do. I looked through the cupboards, and found everything I needed to start.

When I was almost done, Ursula herself came into the room. I turned down the iron, and said easily, "Good morning, Ursula! The lovely butler seems to have forgotten to feed us, so I came down while you were sleeping and got this together!"

She closed the door and I heard the creak of a chair. Perhaps I had surprised her? Couldn't men cook with out being ridiculed? I took off the apron and picked up the dishes. I went into the dining room, set the food down, and sat quietly until she came to the seat across from me and began eating.

She stared at me with what can only be termed a 'glare'.

"Hmm?" I asked, not understanding.

"Where…how…Why were you in a pink apron?" she sputtered.

"I didn't want to stain my shirt…Cooking can become a very dirty business you know." I said, uncomprehending.

"But…but…_You_ and _pink_ don't go together! You are, like, the _anti-pink_! Did you even know that this was my favorite?" she turned a slight pink, but that quickly faded.

I said calmly, "I'm not entirely sure what you mean, I think."

"Whatever! Um, you want to learn your way around the house, right?" she gestured upstairs, "Where do you want to go?"

I knew I had to see it in some kind of organized fashion, or we would never cover everything in time.

"I should like to look around the first, second, and third floors first"-I has seen five sets of windows as we drove up-"Then we can have luncheon. Afterwards, I shall check on your mother, and we shall explore the remaining floors. Is this agreeable?"

She nodded slowly, and smiled.

Her father's study and the common room-like a common meeting place for the family-were the only rooms I didn't already know, and when I saw all the rooms in the second story hallway, I explained to Ursula that one would likely end up as my laboratory.

On the third floor, all the rooms had some wine-related artifact. In one room, the wallpaper was completely made up of the wine labels. Ursula told me about most of them, and I guessed what some were for. Her family had owned vineyards in Musel Valley for what looked like generations. That explained their wealth, at least.

Before lunch, Ursula told me that she had a surprise for me, and that I was to wait in the front hall. As I was waiting, my mind drifted to a book on the writing desk in my room. It was written in an archaic form of German, closer to Gothic than my modern language. From what I had discerned, it was a collection of memoirs from an ancestor of mine.

When Ursula came out, carrying a basket, I was ordered to put shoes on, and then we went back through the common room. She pulled up the blinds from the windows, and-

There was a symphony of color. Tulips, and roses, and, and…so many flowers! I had no idea there was a garden.

My arm was pulled gently, and I was taken past all these different sights and smells. We came upon a four-square of blossoming cherry trees, with petals falling everywhere. A tablecloth appeared, and I was bidden to sit.

"Ursula, I…this is…how did you…?" I stammered, nearly speechless.

She giggled, "I love plants. You can nurture them, and then they will repay you." Her arms spread wide.

"Almost like me," I said in a low tone, "I care for the sick, help them recover, or comfort the ones too far gone for my services to reach them."

Her voice came, strangled, "Like…like my mother?"

I wanted to protect her. Almost like a sister, never old enough to play by herself. "No, Liebchen, not like her. I can still hope to save her. The ones I am thinking of are those with leprosy, or a congenital disease, like sickle cell anemia…incurable…"

She stood, went in front of me, and I looked at her through a dim fog. She knelt, and said, "You have saved many more, Faust. People who would not be walking today if it weren't for your skills. You can't save everyone, you know."

A freezing cold pang of thought cut through the fog. _I couldn't save everyone_…why not? I could cure aches, pains, colds, arthritis, why couldn't I cure the others, as well? They deserved just as much effort, and time, and patience as any other patient. Why did they have to die, when others less deserving sped away with a minor cough?

I was taken out of this new way of thinking by two arms wrapping themselves around my neck. I gently hugged the poor girl back, and mumbled a "Thank you". She sat beside me, and I smiled. I slowly took up my meal.

* * *

Whee! This is great fun! Did people like it? Will people tell me? Soon? If I am doing anything wrong…still, feel free to beat me with sticks and then correct me. 


	6. Faust the First

Okay, people, I am sorry that I wasn't clear.

**Lecture Mode**

When the Holy Roman Empire fell, many tribes of barbarians took over the land. Of these, the Goths took over what is now Germany. Their language, over the years, mixed with the lingering Latin and, in the 16th century, this was adopted as an official common language. Afterward, many different countries had contact with the language, and they were partially integrated into the spoken tongue. The modern language would be wildly different from that of the 1500s.

* * *

Ursula's POV

As Faust and I finished touring the upstairs rooms, we talked about a lot of things. I asked him about his family history, which in hindsight was a bad idea.

"Faust the Eighth? That's an odd name. You were named after other Fausts, right?" I said thoughtfully.

"Yes. Actually, the original Dr. Faust was famous, in an odd way. A man named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote a poem about him. In it…he sold his soul." He kept walking as though nothing was wrong. I was stopped dead. His soul?

"Hmm?" he turned back to me.

"He sold his soul? To who? That's absurd! This Goethe guy must have made it up completely!" I tried to laugh it off.

"…No. It has been passed down through my family, a sort of victory tale. Dr. Faust was alive in the 16th century. He pursued knowledge above all else. This pursuit led to his discovery of the reality of a great power."

He started walking again. I ran a little to catch up to him, and couldn't keep my mouth shut. "What kind of power?"

"He told his sons only of a great power, nothing more. He died before he could explain to them fully what he meant. He did say…" he turned to me, with a smirk, "…He had found a magic who could keep the dead from leaving us."

"What?" I yelled. He'd lost it! What on earth was wrong?

The smirk was suddenly gone, and he turned away in a rush. He quickly disappeared downstairs.

I couldn't find him the rest of the day, so I went back to the only room we hadn't gotten to explore. My castle. I pushed open the door to a spacey library, facing my garden through a huge window in the entire wall. I climbed a ladder to a section of encyclopedias and pulled down 'F'.

I loved reading. My mother had taught me when I was four to recognize certain syllables, and that had lead to my reading before I was in school at all. I settled into a cozy chair and began searching.

_Faust-(foust)__ , Faustus , or Johann Faust , fl. 16th cent., learned German doctor who traveled widely, performed magical feats, and died under mysterious circumstances. According to legend he had sold his soul to the devil (personified by Mephistopheles in many literary versions) in exchange for youth, knowledge, and magical power. Innumerable folk tales and invented stories were attached to his name. The first printed version is the Volksbuch (1587) of Johann Spiess, which, in English translation, was the basis of Christopher Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus (c.1588). Many versions followed, ranging from popular buffoonery to highly developed art forms. Spiess and Marlowe represent Faust as a scoundrel justly punished with eternal damnation, but Lessing instead saw in him the symbol of man's heroic striving for knowledge and power and therefore as worthy of praise and salvation. _

_  
Lessing's view of Faust as seeker was continued by __Goethe__in one of the greatest dramatic poems ever written. He enlarged upon the old legend, adding the element of love and the saving power of woman and giving the story a philosophical treatment. Goethe first came to grips with the theme in 1774 (in what is called the Urfaust). The first part of Faust appeared in 1808; it is more suitable for the theater than the more profound and philosophic second part (1833)._

I shut the book and looked out window when I heard a car approaching.

* * *

Faust's POV

Ursula and I discussed a multitude of topics as we toured the upper rooms. Suddenly, she asked me about my family.

"Faust the Eighth? That's an odd name. You were named after other Fausts, right?" I stiffened slightly, but managed to keep going.

"Yes. Actually, the original Dr. Faust was famous, in an odd way. A man named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote a poem about him. In it…he sold his soul." I continued my pace, but heard Ursula's footsteps stop.

"Hmm?" I looked at her.

"He sold his soul? To who? That's absurd! This Goethe guy must have made it up completely!" she chuckled frantically.

"…No. It has been passed down through my family, a sort of victory tale. Dr. Faust was alive in the 16th century. He pursued knowledge above all else. This pursuit led to his discovery of the reality of a great power." I began walking once more.

"What kind of power?" she said, running up.

"He told his sons only of a great power, nothing more. He died before he could explain to them fully what he meant. He did say…" I looked at her, imagining the possibilities, "…He had found a magic who could keep the dead from leaving us."

"What?" she cried. What was I thinking? I couldn't show her this! I knew it wasn't possible; I must have had the worst look on my face…

I ran downstairs, and into my room. Oh, dear, this was bad…she must have thought I was some psycho, talking about bringing the dead back to life. My eyes strayed to the book of memoirs on my desk.

One of my relatives...Could it be that the first Faust had written his findings down on paper? I was unable to read the words, though…I would need to study the language first. I had no idea where to go for a dictionary, however. I was in trouble…

I suddenly felt tired, most probably a side effect of a rush of adrenaline that was now subsiding. I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes.

* * *

To Be Continued (still)…

Do you two like it? No one else is reviewing, just Morningstripe and Queenstheif Draconess Herselve…Well, if you've any other questions, feel free to ask! Review!

Oh, and I am sorry if I have mistakes, I don't have a beta reader. Do I need one?


	7. Changes

Ursula's POV

He was a necromancer…A necromancer…and Faust was talking about 'keeping the dead from leaving us'? How…Why would we want to meddle in such a thing? Yes, I know that death is horrible and I didn't want Mother to die. Cheating death, though, was much worse. Sometimes people are meant to go.

I knew that my mother was very sick. In the last few weeks, her eyes had become hollow. She looked like a skull. I was a little afraid that Faust wouldn't be able to-but I cut off the thought every time.

Faust and Eliza had been living with us for twenty-five days by then. Every day, Eliza sat by my mother to make sure she didn't suddenly change. I usually stayed there, too, and talked to her. I learned a lot of things from her.

Faust, though, ate breakfast before us and stayed in his elected laboratory long after dinnertime. I was worried about him. I caught a glimpse of him through a crack in the door, and was shocked.

There were bubbling tubes everywhere. For a while, Faust was turned away, but, eventually, he turned to look at something. His eyes, so captivating, were lined with bags so heavy they looked like they'd never clear. Once spiky hair was disheveled. He was so pale, he looked like bleached bones.

I gasped at such a transformation. It must have been loud, because Faust turned to the door fully and I had to hurry not to be caught staring. I walked quickly down the hall and turned to go into Mother's room.

Eliza was there, as usual. I took a few deep breathes to calm the adrenaline rush, and sat down.

"Why is he working so hard on this?" I asked her.

"Faust? He's becoming obsessed, or close to it. Once he finishes his work, he spends the whole night reading from a leather-bound book with an archaic doctor's symbol on the cover." Eliza was obviously trying to keep herself together.

"I just…It's just that I'm worried, you know?" She faked a bright smile.

I smiled, too. The poor woman was losing her husband because of me. I was losing my mother, Eliza her husband and Faust his own self. We were all being left alone.

I realized that I had begun crying and Eliza was comforting me. I couldn't stop the tears.

"I didn't want this…I didn't want him to change!" I sobbed.

I felt Eliza freeze underneath me. Looking towards the door, my eyes focused on one thing.

Blue. So brilliant once, now dulled by sleeplessness, I adored those eyes. Now, though, they flared with obsession.

"Faust…" I breathed.

Very, very slowly, the tall and wiry man fell forward as though dead.

* * *

Faust's POV

Twenty-five days. Eliza and I had been living with Ursula for that long, yet I hadn't said a word to the girl since my little 'episode'.

Every day, I woke early from a starkly dreamless sleep. I ate a suitable meal, and continued my experiments from the day before. When I was finished, I met with my wife to exchange news and give her new possible cures to try on the patient. After that, I sat most of the night reading my ancestor's book (with the aid of a Gothic-German dictionary I had borrowed from Sieger).

Eliza told me about her new quasi-friendship with Ursula, and that she suspected that the young girl was slipping into a depression. I was convinced that it was my failure to cure my patient that was the cause of Ursula's ailment.

I knew that ever since Marie Cure had experimented with radioactivity (and subsequently died of the poisoning) doctors had searched for a way to reverse or reduce the effects on mankind. How could I hope to surpass centuries of devotion in just a month?

My book, though, could be a key to save Friehilde. She could stay, with Ursula, and the family would be happy. It was the only way to cheer up Ursula.

Right?

I heard a loud gasp, and, turning toward to the door, saw a flash of brown braid. Ursula. Had she heard my thoughts…? I was having enough trouble thinking clearly as it was.

Walking down the hallway, I came to my patient's room. From it could be heard sobbing, and my Eliza's comforting murmurs.

"I didn't want this…I didn't want him to change!" the girl yelled. Eliza looked at me, and then Ursula.

She whispered something, but I couldn't hear. Voices…a thousand voices screamed at me, saying the worst things. I couldn't save her, she wouldn't ever be happy like this, how could I put a family through this? The doubts and fear dogged at my heart.

I sank gratefully into unconsciousness.

* * *

I am soooo mad at myself…! I had writers block for EVER!

But, I am returned, and hope to get this show on the road. There should only be a few more chapters…This story is officially my longest ever. REVIEW!


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